For Immediate Release

17 November 2022

MST Receives California Transit Association’s Small Operators 2022 Award For Transit Innovation

MST is proud to announce that it has been recognized by the California Transit Association as the 2022 recipient of the Transit Innovation Award.

The award honors an organization’s new outstanding innovation, program, or service demonstrating innovative concepts, effective problem-solving techniques, or promoting a positive image of transit in the community that benefits Small Operators in particular, or public transit in general.

MST was the first public transit agency in California to implement an open contactless fare payment technology, allowing customers to use their contactless credit, debit, or prepaid card or a payment-enabled device to tap to pay their fare on any MST bus.

In addition, MST became the first public transportation agency in the country to enable its riders to verify their eligibility for discount transit fares online and to instantly add that discount benefit to a contactless open-loop debit or credit card. Any older adult age 65+ with a state-issued identification card – from any U.S. state – can have their eligibility for MST’s Senior fare discount both instantly verified and instantly linked to their contactless-enabled Visa or Mastercard with the Cal-ITP Benefits web tool.

MST very recently expanded its group of people eligible to link their discount to their contactless credit/debit card to receive a discounted fare on MST buses. MST Courtesy Cardholders (individuals 65 years and older, individuals with a disability who have a physician’s written verification, Medicare Card holders, youth 18 years and younger, MST RIDES Paratransit Eligibility card holders, and veterans and veteran’s spouse/caregiver) can now enjoy paying the discounted fare while tapping to pay.

Carl Sedoryk, MST General Manager/CEO stated, “Innovations like the contactless payment technology that allow daily, weekly, and monthly fare capping simplify the fare payment/collection process for operators, but more importantly, it offers added convenience, access, and options for our passengers.”

The award was received today, at the 57th Annual Fall Conference & Expo in Ontario, California.

For more information, visit mst.org or call 1-888-MST-BUS1 (1-888-678-2871) toll-free. For RealTime bus arrival information, text “Next” and your four-digit bus stop ID (example, “Next 9103”) to 25370, call 1-888-MST-BUS1 with your four-digit bus stop ID, download the free Transit App, or use Google Maps. Follow twitter.com/mst_bus for the latest service alerts.

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